Fairbanks 2023

 In 2022 our dear friend Alexa shared with us " we love having you both in Circle and we love what you do for our elders, but if you really want to help my people, stay in Fairbanks, base your summer around volunteering at Stone Soup Cafe (soup kitchen), and love up on our people there as you do here". So before leaving Alaska we spent time at Stone Soup Cafe to consider completely changing our reason for coming to Alaska. What we found is this change was going to be so much more expensive, but God showed us that this change offered so many opportunities and so much that would fill each day helping in many different ways. We also felt led to, again reach out to Global Food Initiative of the Church of the Brethren for a Grant for Stone Soup Cafe Garden that helps support Stone Soup Cafe.

Bill arrived in Fairbanks in late April knowing a 9,000.00 check was due to arrive at Stone Soup. Seven thousand to be used to complete the garden's drip system, plus a couple new raised bed's along with store bought soil that's used in each of the 50 plus raised beds. Stone Soup Cafe opens each morning at 7:30 AM for two hours. Each person entering is given a meal plus a sack lunch for later in the day. There's a single shower so a person can get on a list to shower, plus bathroom toiletries are given cost free along with over the counter medications are offered. Within minutes I understood why Alexa made this request for us to be in Fairbanks. I was seeing a completely different side of so many people I knew from the villages. I was seeing them at rock bottom before returning to the villages to "dry out", and be loved up on by relatives. I was now able to talk to them in their darkest hour and other Gwich'in people could see the relationship I have with each of the people I knew so they had a comfort with me before we even had a chance to strike up a conversation. This was such a win win situation with each passing morning, plus other " Caucasian" volunteers seen my friendship with the Gwich'in people so they had a more comfort to interact with them. What an incredible blessing this summer was going to be!